Methods for the production of composite images have been known and used for many years. But some prior systems have had certain shortcomings in one or more of the following particulars: Inaccuracy, including lack of exact registration; the presence of fringes or ghosts surrounding an inserted object; objectionable multiplicity of operations and time delays necessary to produce the final results, including the necessity of using a multiplicity of films and takes to reach the desired composite. Multiple operations and various film stocks, of course, decrease the prospects of final accuracy, and printing to and from a multiplicity of films also has a tendency to decrease the distinctness and sharpness of the images, and to coarsen the apparent emulsion grain of the final photograph. Also realistic merging of staged scenes into background with proper perspective, shadows, etc. has not been feasible.
Typical composite photography background art using at least in part a reflex front projection screen is found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,727,427--W. F. Jenkins, Dec. 20, 1955; 1,636,112--Schufftan, Jul. 19, 1927 and 2,857,806--Shuftan, Oct. 28, 1958; and 3,366,438--Hartman, Jan. 30, 1968. These systems do provide for achievement of simple merging of two or more scenes. However, they have limited flexibility in achieving a realistic perspective and various types of merging techniques with a single camera take which can for example isolate and burn a tree, etc., nor do they effectively use mattes and may require traveling mattes bipacked in cameras or projectors.
Thus, special types of traveling mattes such as "bipacks" are used in the prior art where a camera or projector need process a film and a matte together and where separate photographic steps are necessary to achieve the composite picture, with all the attendant problems of exactly matching position, registration, camera weave, film grain, etc. This sort of art is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 2,870,672--F. W. Gage et al., Jan. 27, 1959. Also the final scene not visible for combined effects and registration of all requisite elements until after multiple photography which does not permit immediate registration and viewing of a scene before take to assure it is proper.
Also back projection techniques, such as used in the Schuftan patents, are not desirable because of washout, lens problems and difficulties in registery.
None of the prior art systems are able to use camera perspective effectively in placing staged action within the environment of variable and changing projected background scenery. Few systems have the flexibility to handle by one camera shot such requisites as the substitution of one segment of a general background scene with another, as might happen when a tree located in the background scene is burned, etc. Nor do the prior art systems in general have the capability of packaging of the entire camera-projector equipment in a compact cabinet for use in a small room studio with external reflex type front projection screens. Furthermore, the ghosting and fringing caused by improper matte matching and improper shadow relationships are defects of the prior art.
It is among the objects of this invention to overcome such difficulties as these and to provide a method and apparatus whereby such composite pictures may be produced in a comparatively simple manner, with few operations, with the greatest accuracy, and with the final production of a most realistic photographic representation.